Dancing With Bailey : A Mother's Story

I "met" Stephanie just a few short months ago when she reached out about potentially sponsoring the blog.

We went back and forth on email and she shared some of her tragic story with me. I visited the facebook pages she has set up to learn more and now find myself continuing to - I warn you, it will break your heart. 

Unknowingly, I came to find, that we share a bond. An Izzy. 

Both undoubtedly special. 

I asked her recently if she would share her story - personally, I find it therapeutic to write. I was happy she was willing to try.

My name is Stephanie Sherman. I am a mom of 5 beautiful children. I have 3 amazing, healthy, growing boys and 2 beautiful daughters. My daughter Isabelle is an angel in heaven but I know she watches over us everyday. 

Isabelle, better known as Izzy, was an angel on earth with us for just 19 and a half months. She was a fighter and taught me so much in her short life. Her smile was amazing. Izzy had mitochondrial complex one deficiency. Every day was a battle, from the surgery to the feeding tubes and central lines she had to constantly endure. She required my attention around the clock and I was happy to give it to her. Infantile onset of mitochondrial disease is almost always fatal by the age of one. Many children do not even see that first birthday like my Izzy did and for that we are grateful. 

sweet Izzy

Bailey, who is now nearing 7 months, has been diagnosed with the horrible disease as well. Although she is more stable then her sister at this age, we live knowing what may come one day. We travel near and far often for almost daily appointments. There is no cure and very minimal treatment for MITO. 

We live in fear that she too will never grow up just as her sissy did not get the chance to. 

When our Izzy was alive we lived in New York, where I am from. After we lost her we felt we needed a change so we moved to Illinois. Bailey sees specialists here in IL, in St. Louis and also in New York. Because of her condition, I am a stay at home mom. I know I could never hold a normal job with the traveling and appointments all the time but I refuse to just do nothing. So I work from home and do the best I can for my family. My days are filled with looking after my children and selling Younique products which I introduced Susan to; it's not much, but I love the work that I do. Believe me, coming up with the travel money and keeping up with all of the normal bills  is not an easy thing. 

But we refuse to give up hope.

ms. Bailey 

We miss Izzy everyday. 

Stephanie sent me some of the Moonstruck 3D Fibre Lashes {arv $29} to try.

Here is a wee after shot for you - the results are pretty incredible. I've been asked if I'm wearing extensions and love that I can add to the entire lash or just to the edge with a cat eye.

Simple to use even for a novice, you use a clear gel first followed by the fibre product + voila!

watch the application demo here

Shop Stephanie's page, here.

To read more about Izzy, visit her facebook page here. 

More about the sweet ms. Bailey, here.